One of the most terrifying segments in George Orwell’s novel “1984,” published in 1949, centered on Room 101 in the Ministry of Love. The dreaded room was the final destination for anyone opposing the ruling party. It was the place where those rebelling against the party were forced to confront their worst fears.
Room 101 would not be a great place for anyone with a phobia – an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something. It is natural for humans to have some sort of fear and no matter what the fear is, it can dramatically impact someone’s daily life.
Be warned, some of the following most common fears may illicit strong emotions.
1. Arachnophobia – fear of spiders. This may be the most common fear for both males and females. While some spiders are considered to be harmless and good for nature, many individuals still see spiders as being creepy and crawly insects that can kill us when they bite. The fear of spiders generally starts when we are young children, it is something that many adults fear and the fear tends to be quite strong.
2. Trypanophobia – fear of needles. For many, going to the doctor can be stressful, especially when we are due for a vaccination. Trypanophobia usually is something that is learned over the years. Many adults who do not like needles tend to express their emotions in such a convincing manner that those around them tend to pick up on this fear, thus leading to more individuals not liking needles.
3. Hemophobia – fear of blood. For some, the intense fear of blood can cause a wide range of problems. Those with intense fears of seeing or touching blood tend to lose consciousness and pass out and even become weak. Blood can harm an individual, but the blood is just fluid that transports oxygen inside our bodies. Without it, we could not live.
4. Nosophobia – fear of having a certain condition or disease. This one actually can lead to many issues. Many medical students at some point may experience these feelings. Closely related to hypochondriasis, some people truly think they have a particular disease so much that they have died. Usually this phobia is first caused from intense study and researching diseases and health and it spreads from there.
5. Mysophobia – fear of germs and general contamination. You may know this common condition as germophobia. Mysophobia can affect individuals in different ways. What starts as a generalized fear of contaminations can lead to extreme anxiety of contact with others and the outside to where the person may avoid everyone at all costs. In addition, those with mysophobia tend to shower and bathe multiple times every day, sanitize the skin often and avoid any type of sharing of any kind.
6. Astraphobia – fear of thunder or lightning. Children have many fears, in part because they are startled quite often due to lack of experience. Astraphobia is one of the most common fears among children. For those who experience strong summer storms, the fear becomes real at a young age. Usually with this phobia come anxiety and the tendency to want to hide under or within things that protect the body for overall comfort. With more exposure, this fear has been known to vanish.
7. Cynophobia – fear of dogs. Phobias tend to develop at very young ages and while many tend to resolve at young ages, some can linger into adulthood. The fear of dogs is a common phobia that starts at a young age and is usually a result from a negative experience with a dog as a kid. This can linger into adulthood and cause the adult to avoid dogs at all costs.
8. Pteromerhanophobia – fear of flying. This common condition affects most adults and children at some point. This fear is usually developed through a movie, news story or some fear that an aircraft will fall and crash from the sky. While many fears tend to be irrational, this is quite possibly the most common fear that adults can have.
9. Nyctophobia – fear of the dark. Most children face this fear at a young age. Sometimes it can follow into adulthood. When kids are young, there is no surprise that the mind can wander and cause this fear. Darkness tends to lead to unknown territory for many kids and it can take years before this phobia resolves itself. This phobia generally is resolved once adulthood sets in, but some adults experience this fear.
10. Claustrophobia – fear of small or enclosed spaces. This very common phobia can last well into adulthood. Some studies have estimated that up to seven percent of the world’s population suffers from claustrophobia.
There are many other phobias that afflict children, adults or both. These include agoraphobia – fear of crowded and open spaces, ophidiophobia – fear of snakes, acrophobia – fear of heights, gerontophobia – fear of getting older, and glossophobia – fear of public speaking.
It’s probably a good idea for anyone with a phobia to avoid the Ministry of Love, and particularly Room 101.